Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1887-02-23
w IutslHgancer
I 111oAsRnn, rIBRUArY 9, Va.
gnGe 0raissry Observable. Did.

eonMittee on military affairs in the
w - Imported . bill which appropri.
900 for steel castings and forgings
n1oonand twelve inch breech.loading
- $780, for the purchase and
~ 3 government plant for turning
~ steal castings to be purchased;
- Or rified mortars Of the largest
~ ooast defenses, and e6OO, 900 for the
- md construction Of torpedoes and
ogine mines.
= ~ eommittee declare that mortars and
9oos ore the quickest, cheapest and
H ofAcient means Of shore and harbor
11A Great guns win take long to
II this country where there Is no
= xondy 70 turn them out. Larger
W tnAn twelve inch cannot be made
~ next 6ve years, and 20 appropria-
Dnst made for the purchase Of the
1Gtings for them. Az to their
I'D Gseel Cor the material Of the guns,
mifaes ~ that they believe it to
Xnnt material and that 1t 30 seems
re- oUdinazy mind from common obser-
80; and they ask Why are steel rails
n1o1 IN TIE construction of railways,
Uhy y cast iron laid aside and steel
>11utod. The answer ID manifest. BY
- q TIE greater endurance Of steel,
o1nenin1, shock and wear to which the
0 nMhjeeted, d better endured by steel"
IonH1l Bragg, the chairman Of the mill
eommittee Of the House, has been q
nasAl and b lawyer /; he is evidently
1Ge q expert In iron and steel. A very
nnxy degree Of knowledge Of railroad
y Would have saved him from the in.
nHion that they had ever been made Of
8 hon. The committee of ordinary
nnB = which permitted such statement
- thoir chairman to pass unchallenged,
11ht tobe photographed. Their informa-
- = evidently too ordinary for the occa-
- ~ their representative duty.
The wrought iron rail has been supplant.
"a Ly steel, because the latter material is
harder and the rail will wear longer in the
tE1ck. Wrought iron rails used to be made
Nh steel tops to secure better wear of
~ surface against the pounding of the
1oolG, but the introduction Of the cheap
nenK steel supplied the grade of iron
uiEod for the duty. The steel rail is not
- sdapted than the wrought iron rail
y annd shock and strain. Cast iron is
hpJly unadapted to the purpose.
IS = b probable that steel is a better ma.
lnl for riAed guns than iron, though the
loion oe General Bragg and his com.
49, upcn the question, based upon the
gv1tion Of their "ordinary minds, I"
Dnnot settle the question. It will need the
1loos Of some extraordinary minds to
thh. There may be found in the army
lnnnce department, where the bias in
eoe q steel guns is said to be strong.
I'D there ID as much difference between
cIDa1 there is between steel and wrought
IL east iron. 1t is hardly possible
l ~ Where one ends and the other begins.
= au iron, in different mechanical and
onioal conditions. Soft steel and wrought
- como close together, and both will
]; the ability or inability to do which
ocAetimes been given as q test of steel
lgnn. There are no acknowledged def.
long of steel and iron ; 80 that the ap.
giation for steel guns may bs used for
- guns; and should be used for such
n4o Of the material as by experiment is
oga 70 be the best adapted to the use,
afeyer 1t may be. The bill should be
cpded to 80 read.